Ivy Tech Libraries: Valparaiso Campus by Heather Ayres: Faculty Resources

Request for Library Instruction
Use this form to contact the library and schedule in-class instruction.
Library Instruction Survey
Fill out this quick survey about the in-class library instruction.
Add item to Course Reserve Collection
Faculty are welcome to place any materials on reserve in the library that may be used by students enrolled in a specific course. Use this form to make a request.
Purchase Request Form
Use this form to request materials be added to the library collection.
Inter-Library Loan Request
Use this form to request items from another library.

What is a Personal Librarian?

The personal librarian program is an integrated library service to help support the research process. It is a proactive strategy to incorporate information literacy into the learning process and places the library where the students are. Using the personal librarian program is a great way to extend students' access to research assistance after an information literacy session and provides more consistent and personalized assistance for your students. A personal librarian is especially useful for online classes or ones that involve a research component. This program is a partnership with faculty that will integrate the library into the curriculum and work together towards a solution to an information problem. I can be as active in the course to the extent the faculty member prefers.

Some ways I can assist students include:

Provide general research help
Help with narrowing topics or brainstorming ideas
Identifying keywords for a topic
Finding credible sources
Promote use to library resources
Help with citations and formatting

What I can't do:

Answer questions about grades, rubrics, or due dates
Interpret assignments
Grade assignments

Do I need the Personal Librarian Program in my class?

This service gets the library into the IvyLearn classroom and provides students with helpful guides & tutorials right inside their class. If you answer "YES" to any of these, you might consider adding an embedded librarian component:

Do students need help identifying a type of research (peer-reviewed, primary vs secondary)?
Do students need help narrowing a research topic?
Would you like your students to move past Google and be able to find and use authoritative, scholarly sources?
Would students benefit from knowing which of the 70+ available databases are best for their project?
Would students benefit from being able to contact the library right from the IvyLearn classroom?

Click Here to Request a Consultation with the Librarian

What can the Library do for me?

Examples of ways we can interact with students include:

Add library contact information to the IvyLearn classroom allowing students to contact the library directly from the classroom.
Create a reading list (bibliography) from library resources as a supplement to or replacement for a textbook. (Also available in PDF).

Bibliography Example

Create a course Library Research Guide that provides sample keywords and searches to help start the research process.
Create assignment and subject specific announcements to the IvyLearn classroom that help with research, promote library resources, critical thinking skills, and use of citations.
Create a subject or course specific guide that can be linked from the IvyLearn classroom. This guide can contain articles, videos, and books from the library collection, subject specific websites, OER resources, and tutorials on how to use databases.
Provide in person or online research consultations with students to help narrow topics, brainstorm ideas, identify keywords, provide database guidance, and answer citation questions. This can be a mandatory or voluntary part of the class.
Create pre and post-tests to assess research skills. These can be extra credit, mandatory, or voluntary.

Online Support

Library instruction can take place over Zoom. Contact me to schedule instruction. Information literacy instruction is also available through the Credo Instruct modules.

Check out the Library Guides for help locating materials in the library. We also have guides for specific courses and subjects. If you would like a guide created for your course or need help finding online resources, please contact me.

The Citation Resources page has APA and MLA paper templates, sample papers, and reference examples. If you or your students need additional help with formatting or citations, please don’t hesitate to ask us.

Resources for Online Learning - A list of statewide resources and tutorials.

Taking your Class Virtual - A guide from the Educational Technology Team that is regularly updated with resources from our global partners in educational software, publishing, and technology.

Online Instruction Resources - Help with Canvas, and links to Open Access Resources for your online classes.

UNESCO Distance Learning Solutions -A list of educational applications and platforms to help facilitate student learning during periods of school closure.